Aftershock
by denny devin
Summary: Fifteen years after the fall of Galbatorix, the land of Alagaesia has settled into a relative peace. But what happens when a parting gift from the dark king is missed by Eragon before he leaves? Post Inheritance and OC fun to be had by all.
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** Nope, ain't got one. Oh wait. **Disclaimer:** ... I actually forgot what is supposed to go here. I own none of inheritance. But I do own any OCs I add (oh yes, there are OCs!) and that is about that. I think. Whatever. Enjoy the story!

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**Ch 1: And so it begins...**

As he entered the training grounds, the young boy couldn't help but notice the signs of disuse and age spreading across the area. The sparring areas once trampled down to nothing but earth by the constant fighting of men were slowly being overtaken by the unrelenting grass surrounding them. The large tents that housed the multitudes of weapons were tattered and fraying at the edges. The large groups of men that once used these areas in preparation for battle were instead replaced by a handful of small groups either resting, sparring in the areas that escaped the earth's conquest, or chatting next to the tents and watching as the few men sparred. The clang of metal striking metal responsible for the grounds being outside the city were barely heard even by the sensitive hearing of the boy until he was about thirty paces away from the sparring.

Despite the shock running through the boy's mind, his face revealed nothing behind a mask of indifference to the world. Those not fighting took little interest in him until he walked up to the group standing next to the large tent. As he approached the group, recognition flashed in a couple of their eyes and he heard fain traces of exasperation in their breaths as he approached the man in the center wearing a captain's mark. It wasn't until the boy was a few steps away that the captain acknowledged his presence by saying rather harshly, "What do you want boy? I have no time for you, your beggars' games, nor any pity towards how life has dealt you an unfair hand." The men nearby gave the captain a quick glance out of shock before hiding it behind there own blank faces. They were surprised at the captain's hardness and his rather blatant, even to the boy, lie about no time, for it was obvious to everyone present that nothing interesting other than their conversation was happening.

To his credit, the boy did not turn around and leave, nor did he reply out of anger or sadness to the rough captain. Instead, in a voice that held no emotion at all replied, "It is not your pity or your money I have come to ask for, sir."

"Oh? Then what is it that has brought you to this place?" He knew he had piqued the captain's interest when he turned around and took in the young boy who stood before him.

The boy was tall for his age, because at fifteen years his head was a little over the shoulders of the captain. He had a lean build, with arms and legs that showed signs of both lack of food and constant hard use. His clothes, had they not been as badly tattered as the tents they stood near, would have placed the child in a higher ranking than the beggar the captain had initially labeled him. The boy's boots, could they even be considered so any longer, were so badly worn down that the captain was almost certain the boy could feel the texture of the land beneath him. The only piece of clothing that was did not show signs of age was a silver bracelet on his left wrist.

But it was the boy's face though that truly made the captain doubt his original assessment. Framed by pitch black hair, the boy possessed pencil-like eyebrows that were more angled than normal towards the bridge of the nose than across the brow. Combined with a slim yet strong jaw and similar nose, he could be considered a true beauty among humans. Almost exotic were it not for his rounded ears and eyes. And it was the eyes that drew in the captain. They were a dark gray, the same as storm clouds. Although the captain could not see beyond the dullness the boy portrayed, there was an intelligence and experience that the boy should not have had. Yet the captain saw none of this behind his well-crafted mask.

"Well, boy? Are you going to answer me or must I repeat myself? Werecat got your tongue?" Asked the captain, not well known for his patience.

"No sir, I was just waiting for you to finish." The captain thought he heard a low whisper when the boy finished, but quickly passed it off as the wind playing with his mind.

"Then answer me boy! I told you already that I have no time for your petty games, and I am not one to be messed with." He was getting to the captain, because his anger at the boy's indifferent attitude was leaking through his voice. It was worse because the boy was cracking him so easily in front of his men.

"sorry sir, I did not mean to come and waste your time. Rather, I came because I wanted to join the empire's army." There was honesty in the boy's voice, the first sign of emotion the boy had given. But the captain did not hear it as he roared with laughter. The men were surprised yet again, for their captain rarely laughed, but continued what they were doing in fear of punishment.

He continued laughing until sobering up enough to speak. "Boy, you are as much a liar as you are a beggar. You claim not to be here to waist my time and yet here you stand doing just that. Tell me, why would the great army of the empire need the help of a boy your age? Give me a good answer to that and i might think about your request."

The captain could tell that his laughter had upset the boy, for he stood more rigid and restrained than he had moments ago. _Ha, not as untouchable as you would have us believe. _But the captain had to give the boy credit because his response, as quick as it was, held the same emotionless tone as it did when he first met the boy, if not a hint of determination.

"I would tell you, but first, I would make a request of you. If you should agree, then I will answer your question." The boy's eyes never moved from where they were looking at the ground between him and the captain.

_He's scared of me. But I wonder just how much._ The captain gave a little smirk before he responded. "Alright, and what is it you request of _me_, boy?"

"I ask that you hold nothing I am about to say against me. If you agree to that, then I will tell you."

_How interesting. He's almost afraid of me as my men._ "Very well. You intrigue me, boy, so I will comply to hear what you have to say." _Doesn't matter what you say though. The army does not need any more cowards like you._

The moment the captain agreed, a hardness entered the boy's eyes as he looked directly into the captain's. There was a sense of danger in the way he looked at the captain, and the captain took an involuntary step back because of the fear surging through his body. For the third time that day, the captain was forced to rethink his idea of the boy.

"I know you and your type. I know how you think, and what you respond to. I know that telling you why I should be allowed to join would be a pointless endeavor and only physical action will prove anything to you. And I know that that is the reason why, even with all of your military feats achieved while trying to smother out the Ultravis Rebellion, you will never rise above the level of a captain. So instead of trying to change your mind with my words, I'll make a deal with you. Let me prove myself capable of fighting and joining the ranks of the army. Let me earn my right." While the boy said all of this, his eyes never left those of the captain, and the captain found himself unable to look anywhere else.

The men around the two were absolutely stunned by what the boy had just said, and the captain was unable to speak as he tried to fight down both his shock and bristling pride. This boy had the gall to come here and _insult_ him while at the same time make a request of him. Had it been anyone else, the captain would have thrown them out of the grounds and even had them tried for attacking a captain of the empire. But this boy was different, and the captain had to grudgingly respect the boy for what he did.

"However tempted I am to have you thrown into a cell for what you just did, I gave you my word and I will stand by it on my honor." The boy visibly relaxed at the captain's words and so did the men surrounding them, worried that the captain would have done what he wanted to.

"What's your name, boy?"

The boy dropped his gaze at the captain's question, and his demeanor took on the indifference it had once held. The captain was puzzled at the boy's sudden change, but he had no time to figure it out when the boy responded, "My name is Devon, sir. Devon son of none."

_Ahh_. "So you're an orphan, then?"

"Yes, sir."

"Gah! None of this matters anyways. You want a chance to prove yourself worthy of joining the army, fine. I'll give you that chance. But I give you a warning. Should you fail to impress me, then I will never give you another chance and make sure no other captain does as well. Do you accept these terms?"

Devon took a moment before nodding. "I accept."

The captain smiled. "Good. Then lets get this over with. Grab yourself some leather armor and a practice weapon out of that tent there and prepare yourself for the hardest struggle of your life."

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Line breaks for the win. Anyways, this is my second attempt at writing a story for fanfic, First one got removed by le me because it was making this giant section of fanfic even bigger, and all in all the story was bad. I also had no idea where it was going either, heh. And I realize so far the only thing tying the story to the books is the Empire army bit. That will change down the road. Speaking of down the road, expect update times worse than a month apart. Arent i just a stinker? ADD for the win.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: I say that the update time would be worse than a month, and yet this one comes in before a month has passed. I never realised how hard doing nothing was. Oh well. And Armpit, I'm not surprised you dont know about my other story. I created it to write 1 specific scene I had in mind, got two chapters in, and realized that other than that scene, it was going absolutely nowhere. One of the reviews for it said that they could not feel any structure to the story, and that was on the money in my opinion. Also, thanks for taking the time to review! Without further adieu, here is chapter 2.**

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[15 years earlier]

_"Farewell, Eragon Shadeslayer," she said._

_ And then Fírnen swept down from above and snatched her off the deck of the ship, buffeting Eragon with the gusts of air from his wings._

_ "Farewell," Eragon whispered as he watched her and Fírnen fly back toward where Roran still stood upon the distant shore._

_ Then Eragon finally allowed the tears to spill from his eyes, and he clutched the railing of the ship and wept as he left behind all that he had ever known. Above, Saphira keened, and her grief mingled with his as they mourned what could never be._

_ In time, however, Eragon's heart slowed, and his tears dried, and a measure of peace stole over him as he gazed out at the empty plain. He wondered what strange things they might encounter within its wild reaches, and he pondered the life he and Saphira were to have - a life with the dragons and Riders._

We are not alone, little one,_ said Saphira._

_ A smile crept across his face._

_ And the ship sailed onward, gliding serenely down the moonlit river toward the dark lands beyond._

It had been a week since that moment had occurred, and the general feeling aboard the Talíta was that of calm acceptance. For the most part, the nine elves who had followed Eragon into the unknown kept themselves occupied by either training on the deck, meditating, or helping the crew of the ship. The captain had, from the beginning, denied allowing the elves from doing any of the work, saying it would make his men lazy. But the elves easily countered his weak excuse with the reasoning that they had nothing better to do, and that they wanted to _do_ something to help the crew other than staying out of their way. Finally, the captain agreed.

They were a quick learn, and the crewmen quickly opened up to the helpful and friendly elves. Eragon did not mind the work, rather, he enjoyed the repetitive tasks and manual labor because it kept his mind from wandering towards what he left behind. He had accepted his fate, yet he knew if he thought about it longer than normal, a part of him would longingly desire to return, fate be damned. Back to Roran and Katrina, to Nasuada and Murtagh and Thorn, to Arya...

"Hey! What are you lollygagging around for? You're holding us up."

The sudden call pulled Eragon out of his reverie, and he pulled on the rope in front of him until he was told to stop. Then he tied it to the pole near him and walked over to join the group forming on the deck. He wasn't insulted by how he was talked to by the crew members. Really, it heartened him to know that there were still people who would look at him and talk to him like he was a normal person and not some king or deity, something he had sorely missed the months following the death of Galbatorix.

With their help, the crew was able to finish their duties early and the captain granted them time to relax. As he approached the group though, he realized that they were holding a riddle contest along with his guards.

_Why did it have to be a riddle contest,_ he thought to himself rather disappointedly. He reached out his mind in search for Blodgharm and found the blue furred elf in the middle of the large group growing on deck. _Of course._

_ Where else did you expect to find an elf during a battle of the wits? _ Saphira asked as she flew lazy circles over the ship.

He grumbled quietly about dragons being know-it-alls before contacting Blodgharm. He met the usual strong defenses before being recognized and allowed in. When he got through, he told the elf that he was going to fly with Saphira and that he would be back soon. As he finished, the elf merely nodded mentally before breaking the link and returning his focus to the group trying to solve his riddle.

_So, is the great queen of the skies going to come down and get me?_

_Maybe. I have an idea._ He could feel her excitement growing, and when she shared her idea, his own excitement begin to grow as well.

_Sometimes I wonder if your ideas would be the end of me._

_Don't you trust me?_

_With all of my being. You know that._

_ Then stop worrying and just have fun. It has been ages since we've flown._

He smiled._ Only two days. That's not very long._

_ Long enough. Now go!_

At her urging, he began to climb up the main mast to the top, and climbed onto the portion that held the main sail. With adrenaline rushing through his system, he ran the length of the pole and jumped as far as he could at the edge, sending himself free-falling into the dark waters below. For a split moment Eragon was able to see the faces of his guards and roared in laughter at how shocked they were before Saphira caught him on her back and took off. She roared and ascended until he could raise his pinky and hide the Talíta behind it.

Still laughing, he wrapped his arms around Saphira's neck and intertwined his conscience with Saphira's, feeling their merriment grow together as they flew on.

_Now was that not fun?_

He smiled and hugged her tighter, feeling her sides hum with pleasure.

_It was. I'm sorry for doubting you, Saphira. But next time, try not to have me do something that would give our guards a heart attack. Did you see there expressions?_

_ I did, but my question is did you?_

Her sudden seriousness pulled Eragon out of his reverie. _What do you mean?_

_ I mean, _she continued, _that every one of you on that ship, crew included, have been walking around acting like men sentenced to the gallows._

He was shocked. To him, everybody appeared to be doing just fine, even happy. He recalled the men laughing before his little stunt and questioned Saphira about it.

_They were laughing and being happy because the captain was wise enough to recognize the growing despair and try to resolve it, if only temporarily._

_ Alright, but how do you explain everyone seeming normal and fine to me?_

_ How would you find a crazy man in a group of people?_

_ He thought a bit before responding. I would look for the man not acting normally._

_ And what defines normal?_

_ I guess how the rest of the group is acting, I don't know..._

_ Exactly. Because everyone is acting the same way, including you, everyone appears normal. It takes the crazy person to see that the group is just as crazy, but in a completely different way._

Everything finally clicked for him and he just rested his head to the side of the neck spike in front of him. He was shocked that he had not noticed it himself and angry that he was just as much a part of it as everyone else, if not more so because of who he was.

_What can we do? I know how to fight off waves of men and heal wounds, but I am lost when it comes to the waves of emotion causing more than physical damage._

_ Relax little one. As a problem becomes more difficult, its solution becomes simpler. And as I said, the captain has already found an answer. He just couldn't make it last as long as it needs to._

_ And how did he do that?_

_ He gave them happiness._

He sat back up and thought about what she said. She was right, as usual; the chances of any of them seeing their friends and family were slim to non-existent. He had never stopped to think about what everyone else was giving up for him and the future dragons and riders, and felt terrible for being so self absorbed.

_I would be so lost without you, Saphira. So how do you propose we bring them happiness?_

_ You wouldn't be lost, but rather you would just end up in a lot of places you didn't expect to be._

_ Isn't that the same thing?_

_ Maybe. Anyways, I think we should contact the human and elven races and see if they have any good news to share with us. That would certainly brighten any spirit._

_ Like I said, lost without you._

She hummed in pleasure and flew her rider back down to the ship where he could get off without frightening the guards yet again. When he landed, Saphira flew to the front part of the ship and landed, curling her large bulk so that she could fit comfortably.

_If you get lost again, you can always ask me._ And with that, he felt her mind quiet into slumber, and he shrunk their connection so that he would not wake her with any stray thoughts.

With a goal in mind, Eragon hurried below decks to where a few of his belongings and Saphira's saddle were stored. Reaching into the saddle, he searched around until he found the small mirror he had brought with him. He paused for a moment before deciding to intone the spell to contact Nasuada in Ilirea.

Another moment passed until a man came into view. When he told the man he wished to speak to the Queen, the man quickly bowed before scurrying off to find her highness. As he waited, Eragon took in what he could see of the room. A large table occupied the center with several chairs surrounding it, and a large map hung on the wall opposite the mirror. Scrolls littered the table and a single vase with wild flowers sat next to probably one of the only windows in the room. Before he could look any closer though, Nasuada walked in wearing a dark red dress that subtly exuded her regal standing. The frown she had walked in with had quickly been replaced by shock and then a smile as she took in Eragon.

"Eragon! It is so good to see you again, although I will admit I am surprised that you would be contacting me again so early. Have you already found a new Haven for the dragon riders?"

"Err, no. Actually, I've run into a problem that could I use your help to resolve."

One of her eyebrows raised slightly along with her curiosity.

"Oh? Knowing you, the only problems you couldn't deal with on your own were those that included dealing with people, be it politically or emotionally. I still remember your attempt to speak publicly to the soldiers of the Varden."

He flinched at her reminder. _That was absolutely terrible. _He was glad Saphira was asleep, otherwise he would have had to deal with her laughing at his embarrassment, again.

"That would be my problem."

"Ahh." He wasn't sure, but he thought he saw a twinkle of laughter float into her eyes. "Alright, tell me the problem."

And so he spent the next few minutes explaining to her what Saphira had figured out, and what they had decided on to be the best way to fix the problem. As he spoke, she took on a thoughtful look and did not respond until a couple moments after he had finished explaining.

"I see... I think the solution you two came up with would surely do wonders to help with the general feeling among the crew. I do have some things you could share with them, but for the most part, only the human portion of the group would really be affected by it. How will you help the elves protecting you? If I remember correctly, their capitol city is protected from outside magics. How will you contact them?"

He just stared at her for a moment before covering his face with his left hand and letting out an exasperated breath. _How did I forget about that?_

"I'm not sure. I had honestly completely forgotten about that. Maybe I could-"

Before he was able to finish, one of his wards alerted him to someone trying to contact him using magic. Surprised, he asked Nasuada to hold on for a moment and used a second spell to allow his mirror to show the person trying to get ahold of him. To his surprise, it was Laufin, one of his guards who had chosen to stay behind when they left.

The black haired elf was visibly excited, and barely got through the traditional greeting before blurting out what he had to say.

"I'm glad I was able to get ahold of you, Shur'tugal. I have some wondrous news for you and the other elves with you."

He was surprised, but hid it well behind his smile. Seeing an elf, especially of Laufin's age, be visibly excited was something that rarely happened.

"It is good to see you as well, Laufin. Alright, what is it that has you so excited?"

"Alagaesia has welcomed two more of our own into life!"

"Wait. Are you saying that ..."

"Yes! Two new elven children have been born, the first in a centuries to be born without fear of Galbatorix!"

Eragon's excitement grew to match Laufin's, and unintentionally spilled over his link to Saphira, waking her from her slumber. She was irritated, but when she saw in his thoughts what was happening, she bugled out in joy, surprising everyone gathered up top for the riddle contests. When the nine elves questioned her reaction, she shared with them what Eragon was seeing and hearing, and the men around the elves joined a very small group of people to see an elf drop their masks and show genuine excitement.

"Tell us about them," Eragon asked excitedly.

"As I said, two elven children were born yesterday in a cabin in a forest north of Melian**(it's east-northeast of Feinster, for those wondering.) **The first was a boy named Cadeyrn, shortly followed by his sister, Luinwe. All the elves in Du Weldenvarden are celebrating this momentous occasion!"

"That is wondrous news indeed! Thank you for letting us-"

Before he could finish his statement, he felt Blodgharm try and talk to him. He lowered his barriers so that he could speak with the elf.

_Before he goes, ask him about the eyes of the children. I'm not sure if you know this, but the eyes of an elf, before any changes to them are made, are the exact same as our fathers through the generations. Because of how exact they are, Evandar was able to become king when his heritage was questioned. Please ask about the children's._

_Very Well._

"Laufin, before you go, Blodgharm has a question for you."

"And what would that be, Shadeslayer?"

"He was wondering if you knew anything about the eyes of the children. I guess more importantly, what color they were?"

At this, the elf chuckled to himself before responding.

"Tell Blodgharm that his intuition was right. They are the color of topaz."

"Thank you Laufin. Until next time, my friend."

"See you then."

And with that the black haired elf dissolved away into an image of nasuada sitting behind the table reading one of the scrolls he had noticed earlier. He could feel the surprise and then laughter flitting through Blodgharm's mind before the awkward connection was broken. _I wonder why that was so important to him._ He cleared his throat to get Nasuada's attention. She jumped from the sudden sound but quickly regained her composure as she put down the scroll she was reading.

"Sorry about the interruption. So where were we?"

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**AN: For saying so much (2,602 words), there is maybe only a hundred words in there that are important. Which makes this chapter... _FILLER_! Dang it. Also, I'm trying to figure out a good way to write dialogue (Gah, my freakin kryptonite) so if anybody could recommend any good examples of character interaction that they think is the best way to do it, I would very much appreciate it. A PM would suffice for that. Thanks in advance and have a good one.**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: So... other than noting that I have made myself a liar about update times (and being too lazy to go back and change it) I only have two things to say. (clears throat). 1. I do not own Inheritance. 2. Nothing You Need to Know - heh, I can see where you would get that kind of idea. But no, Devon is not the parting gift. In truth, the parting gift is still not really fleshed out in my head, although I did make a small reference that has a connection to it. But that's off-topic and semi plot spoiling (maybe?). Anyways, that's it, and I'll see you at the bottom AN. Enjoy!**

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As the boy gathered what he needed, the captain walked over to the small group resting next to the sparring area. the six sitting down quickly rose to attention at the sight of his approach, while those fighting continued unaware. Although he was irked at the two who continued sparring when he approached, he let it pass as his eyes fell onto the man he was looking for. Dominick Barlowsson. The captain smiled before calling him over. _I told the kid it would be hard, but I wonder if he knows just what he is getting into._

Dominick was a large man, a good three inches taller than the captain's 5' 10" height. With a barrel chest and arms the thickness of the captain's legs, he was an imposing sight to behold if you were just seeing him for the first time. He was also the best swordsman the captain had under his command, which is why he chose him. The captain dropped his smile for a stern look as dominick approached and saluted him.

"yes sir?"

"Grab your practice gear and get warmed up. I've got a little... job... for you."

"A... job, sir?" The confusion was audible in the soldier's voice.

"That's correct, Dominick. A job. You see that boy that just walked into the storage tent?" The soldier nodded. "You are going to fight him. His goal is to beat you at least once in three attempts."

"A boy? Can I ask why he is doing this and you are allowing it, sir?" The captain could see the confusion growing behind the soldier's stoic mask.

"Since I am in a good mood, I'll permit it. The boy wants to joins the army, but he is too young, at least by a year or so. But he is willing to prove himself capable of earning his keep now. So I am testing him to see if he can do just that." The irritation was starting to show in the captain's voice.

"Yes sir. My apologies sir, but I have only one more question, if that is alright with you?"

"Fine. What is it."

"Why me sir?" At this, the captain let his smile come back through his stern facade.

"Because, Dominick, I want the boy to lose. Now go and get yourself ready for the match."

And with that, the soldier nodded and jogged over to where the six relaxing had laid their equipment down together in a pile. The captain turned just in time to see the boy walking out of the tent wearing some leather armor, a pair of vambraces with metal plating on top, and two hand and a half swords at his side searching for the captain. _So the boy is trying to be nice by bringing his opponent a sword. Politeness like that won't win him any special favors here._ "Over here boy, and hurry up! We haven't got all day!"

The boy responded by nodding with an impassive mask and hastening his walk over to where the captain stood. The captain noted his stiff steps and grinned inwardly. _He can control his expressions with great skill, but his body betrays him no matter how hard he tries to hide it. this will be interesting._ Behind the boy was the group the captain had originally been standing with, eager to watch what happens. He thought about ordering them back to practice, but decided that they had worked hard enough to watch what was sure to be a spectacle. After a few moments, the boy was standing before him, and dominick was approaching from behind the captain. The boy's eyes left his for a quick glance at Dominick, and the captain thought he saw a hint of fear in his eyes before being quickly replaced by something that looked liked resolution. He stood up straight and looked directly at the captain.

"As you can probably guess," the captain began, "Dominick here will be your opponent. These are the terms of the match. One. You will have a total of three chances to defeat Dominick and win our deal. Two. A victory will be given to whoever can 'kill' their opponent. Be wary of vital areas that can still cause major problems even with the dulled weapons. And Three. No cheating or outside help. If this happens, the match will end and victory will be given to the opponent. Those are the rules. Are we in agreement?"

Both contestants nodded.

"Good. On my mark, the match will begin. Oh, and Dominick already has his sword, so you can just toss that extra one outside the ring." At that, he saw the boy's eyes open slightly larger and pause before nodding and setting the extra sword off to the side. _Like I said, politeness will get you no special favors here. _Both contestants entered the sparring area and the captain walked over to the side opposite his men to watch by himself. As he did, he looked at the two competitors and noted with satisfaction that Dominick was already in position holding his sword solely focused on the boy across from him. But it surprised him to find the boy in a similar stance focused entirely on Dominick. _The boy has had some training then. This _will_ be interesting._

"Alright. Lets get this over with. Begin!"

With that, the sparring grounds became deathly silent except for the rustle of grass and the steps of the two men slowly circling each other. The two were intently focused on each other, trying to figure who would make the first move. A moment passed before Dominick began attacking, trying to overwhelm the boy with multiple heavy hits in a row. Devon easily avoided each strike, twisting or ducking with a second to spare each time. He immediately saw the boy's plan of trying to tire the large man. The captain was surprised, both by the boy's quick reflexes and by Dominick's restraint. He was testing the boy himself, trying to see what he could do.

This continued for a bit until the first steel on steel contact was made when Dominick thrusted in close to Devon, forcing him to parry the strike. the sheer amount of power put into the strike momentarily shocked the boy, proving to be his downfall as Dominick brought his blade quickly to the neck of a surprised looking boy.

"That's strike one, boy. Return to your positions and prepare for round two." Dominick removed his blade and walked back over to his side relaxed as if nothing had just happened. But the boy was another story. Even though he wore his stoic mask, the captain could see the tension in his body, how his knuckles were white from gripping the handle so hard. _Guess you should have waited before using your only chance._

"Begin!"

Surprisingly it was the boy who charged this time, rushing towards Dominick with a feral look on his face. Dominick was not phased though, as he blocked each of the quick strikes made by the boy, occasionally twisting away from a thrust. Although each attack the boy made seemed reckless, the captain could see the boy's idea. He was using quick strikes instead of powerful ones because Dominick was a large man, leading to the idea that he was also slow. But Dominick had some tricks up his sleeve, for he quickly outmaneuvered the boy, twisting the blade out of his hands and bringing his own blade right up to rest on his opponent's collarbone.

"That makes strike two. Pick up your weapon and return to your sides." Dominick nodded and stepped back from the boy, breathing rather heavily from having to move so quickly to block each attack. The boy was also breathing hard, although less than Dominick which surprised the captain. What surprised him even more was the pure frustration etched into the boy's face. _Why should he be frustrated? Was he actually expecting to win?_ But then the captain noticed the boy was no longer staring after Dominick, but rather back at the second blade he had brought with him. And then something clicked for the captain. he walked up to the frustrated contestant.

"Boy, I have a question for you." He turned towards Dominick. "Hey Dominick, come over here." He waited for the large man to join them before continuing.

"Alright boy, now answer me honestly. You have very little practice fighting with a single sword don't you?" It was more of a statement, but the boy nodded anyways.

"Then I'm guessing you are more of a dual sword fighter, correct?" Again, a nod.

"Then if it is alright with Dominick, I will let you fight your final chance with dual swords. If there is one thing I hate more then people who lie to me, it's people who don't give everything they have in a fight. To me, that is the highest of insults you could give anyone. Do you understand me boy?" The boy merely nodded again. He could see hope in the boy's eyes as he turned towards Dominick. "So Dominick, do you agree to let him fight with dual swords?"

The Large man pondered briefly, before smiling broadly and nodding his head. "It will be interesting, both to fight with different techniques, and to see how much different your skill level is between single and dual fighting. I accept the new conditions."

The captain could see a slight smile forming on the boy's face when he spoke. "Thank you, Dominick."

The captain's patience was beginning to wear thin when he once again spoke. "Alright already! Get your other sword and prepare for the final match. The day is growing old, and I do _not_ want to be here to greet the moon when she appears." He watched as the boy jogged back to get the sword he had tossed aside and Dominick walk over to his side of the sparring area. When both were in place, The captain walked back to the side and turned. He looked back at the boy and noticed something strange had happened to him. He was relaxed, and there was a strange look in his eyes as he focused on Dominick. _Let's see just what the boy has up his sleeve now._ "Begin!"

At that, the two opponents charged towards each other as fast as they could. When he was close enough, Dominick swung his sword sideways to cut at the boy's chest again. But the boy, reacting almost faster than the captain could keep up, ducked underneath the swing turning, kicking Dominick's foot out from underneath him with his leg. The large man fell and the boy crouched at his side, both blades crossed over his throat.

No one spoke, no one moved as they tried to comprehend what had just happened. In the span of five seconds, the boy had defeated an experienced, well trained soldier easily. It took a moment for the captain to overcome his shock before he spoke up, not caring to control the surprise lacing his face.

"You won... By the gods, you won."

The captain's words snapped the boy out of what looked like a trance and he got up off Dominick, dropping one of the swords to the side and offering his hand to help the large man up. Dominick accepted the offer, and once he was up, he looked at the boy a bit longer before breaking out in laughter and patting the boy on his shoulder. The others, seeing how Dominick acted, joined them, their excitement and curiosity bubbling as they took in the boy again. It was Dominick though who asked the question they were all wanting to ask.

"That was amazing! I've been beaten before, but never so quickly or easily! Tell me, how did you do that? After the first two matches, that sudden skill level seemed to come out of nowhere."

The boy sheepishly looked down at the big man's praise, embarrassed, before responding. " I don't really know myself. I'm terrible at fighting with a single sword, but when I fight with two, it seems as if instinct takes over for me. Every movement I make just feels like the right thing to do. As things stand, I've never lost a fight when I use dual swords." The captain could tell the boy wasn't lying or boasting because of the honesty in his voice. _That is quite the trick you have up your sleeve._

"Tell me," Dominick continued, "what is your name?"

"My name is Devon."

"Well it is truly a pleasure to meet you, Devon. I've got to ask, do you mind fi we fight again?"

The boy looked up quickly, surprised by what Dominick asked. "Right now? Why?"

Dominick laughed. "Because," he said through his mirth, "what you did to me has not happened in a long time, and you got my blood boiling for another bout. So, what do you say?

The boy stood there considering the idea before the captain interrupted. "Not today Dominick. Nor tomorrow either. Should things go well, then you may get your rematch the day after tomorrow. For now, all of you pick your stuff up and get ready to call it a day. It's been a long one, but by no means a boring one. Lanter!"

A soldier stepped forward. "Yes sir?"

"Take devon here with you to the barracks and find him a room. While your at it, grab him a couple pairs of shirts and pants for him to wear from storage, and by the gods he needs it, a new pair of boots. Understood?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. The rest of you go ahead and turn in for the day, and take tomorrow off as well. You've earned it."

At the news of getting a break, the men let out a hearty whoop before dispersing to clean up the grounds and return everything to where it needed to go. Devon stayed with the captain though, a question burning the tip of his tongue. The captain noticed and spoke for him.

"Is there a problem, Devon?"

Devon paused for a bit, surprised by the change in recognition, before asking his question. "What is happening tomorrow that requires both you and me?"

He raised his eyebrow. "Oh? you're a sharp one, I'll give you that. Tomorrow, you and I are going to pay a visit to Lady Lorana in the city's Keep. Although I gave you my word, which I still stand by, things are not as simple as that. During the war, special laws were passed that prevented anyone not yet in manhood from joining. For you to join, you need her official permission. Is that a problem?"

The captain caught the worry that flashed across Devon's eyes before being replaced by his impassive mask. Although he does not have perfect control over his features like an elf, he is certainly more adept at it than most people. I wonder why. The captain didn't let on that he saw the boy's worry, and continued looking at him until he managed to slightly stammer out a "No, sir."

"Good. Now hurry up and return your equipment to the storage tent. Lanter is not going to wait all day for you."

"Yes sir."

And with that the boy hurried over to the tattered tent, leaving the captain to ponder what had just happened that day. _Things are going to be a lot more interesting from now on._

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**AN: Okay, so fight scenes are another thing to add to my seriously work on list. And word choice. But that is beside the point. Other than a small note about the Devon to Eragon ratios being not equal for the first portion of this story (not giving chapter estimate 'cuz i don't know myself. Sorry.) Oh. Also, I don't care much for the captain. Always calling Devon "boy" is starting to get on my own nerves... is that weird? Anyways, if you would like to help me make this better, read the last part of the ch 2 author's notes. Otherwise, any reviews would be greatly appreciated. Have a good one.**_  
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	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Uhm... Yeah. Don't really have anything to say. You all know the general disclaimer on most every one of these stories. Enjoy!**

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The following morning found Devon laying on his cot, sheets only covering his lower body because of his restless night. He was nervous, though he wouldn't admit to anyone, about what was to happen today. _The success of my goals depend solely now on her doing something completely out of character. Great, should be a real piece of cake. _He released a pent up breath and rubbed his face before getting up and started dressing. _Well, hope for the best and plan for the worst, although I hope it doesn't get that bad._ He stopped pulling on his tunic and paused for a bit, contemplating just what he might have to do. After a moment he shook his head and resumed dressing while trying to mentally prepare himself for whatever might happen. _Who knows, I might get lucky and they won't even recognize me._

With that thought both cheering and depressing him, he exited the room and headed down to the great hall on the ground floor to grab some food before heading out to meet the captain in the Governor's castle on the west side of the city. The captain had told Devon yesterday that he had some other business to attend to at the castle and so he would meet up with Devon there. He had merely nodded before turning to follow Lanter back to the barracks and to his new home.

When he had finished his bowl of warm stew, he cleaned up and set out for the castle, deciding to follow the main path through the city to give himself a bit more time before having to face what was to come. As he walked along, avoiding the people heading to their jobs and the vendors selling their goods, his mind wandered through memories of the past two years. Years he had spent his life homeless, living off the streets and the lessons it taught him. For the most part, it was thanks to the streets that he was as agile as he was. Although he was not that bad when those two years first began their slow passage, he recognized that he had become so much better, in both body and mind, because of it. He remembered the numerous fights he had joined and won, as well as the multiple occasions he had to make a quick escape when he was screwed otherwise. He recalled turning his escape routes into an exercise of sorts, running through streets and across building tops, jumping and rolling and doing flips, trying to push himself _just a bit_ further than before.

After wandering for a while, he eventually arrived at the castle. Bracing himself, he walked pass the large oak doors and into the familiar courtyard in-front of the massive stone castle. Since the Rider War, the area had been repaired and showed no signs of what had happened seventeen years ago. _Seventeen years ago, I was born into this world... I wonder what my real parents were thinking, deciding to have a child around such a dangerous time. _He just shook his head before walking up to the main entrance and knocking on the large doors. He did so with his left hand, and noticed yet again the metal bracelet he often forgot about. He had had it for as long as he could remember, and knew every detail of both it and the strange emblem that was engraved into it. Although he did not know what it meant, or how he even acquired it, the thing had been with him so long that he just recognized it as part of him and thought nothing more of it. Hence his constant forgetting of it.

Eventually a young servant opened the door, apparently caught off guard by such an early visitor. After her initial surprise wore off, he introduced himself and asked if he could come in. She looked at him for a moment before nodding and leading him into the house. _I don't recognize her, which means she definitely doesn't know who I am. I just might get that cake I wanted. _When they were both inside, she closed the door and turned back to face him, a rather stiff smile upon her face. "Might I inquire as to your business here sir?"

"Of course," he replied. "My captain instructed me to meet him since he had other business to attend to here and was not able to wait for me."

"Ah yes," she responded, "I was told to expect someone asking after the captain. Please, follow me."

With that, she started walking down one of the side halls, Devon right behind her, inwardly surprised at how well everything was going. After a moment they arrived at the the main staircase leading up to the next level, where every hope he had since entering the castle came crashing down.

At the base of the grand stairs was one of the two people he _really _did not want to see. He recognized her not by her face, for her back was turned to him and all he could see of her head was her lush,dark brown hair that fell to her shoulder blades. Rather, it was the dress she wore that made her stand out from the rest of the servants. After his heart missed a beat or two, he quickly realized that she had not yet seen either him or the servant leading him to the captain. But his hopes were once again dashed as his guide called out to her. _I really don't like you,_ he thought as he glared at the servant leading him.

"Miss Alarice! How are you this morning milady?"

Alarice turned and responded to the young woman before seeing Devon who was trying his best not to look directly at her. There was something about her light blue gaze that made him feel guilty. Maybe it was the way her delicate features morphed from a shocked to a slightly sad look in the matter of a second that did it. Or that he knew fairly well why they did was his fault and yet did nothing. Either way, he did _not_ like it.

"Miss Alarice?" There was a tone of worry in the servant's voice. Her mistress had stopped mid-sentence and just stared at Devon, with the look of someone remembering the past in her eyes. But the worried question snapped her out of it.

"I'm sorry Anabelle, our guest here just reminded me of someone I used to know. Please, forgive me." There was a hint of suspicion in her voice as she continued looking at Devon. He appeared unaffected by the appearance of Alarice, but he was groaning inwardly. _Ali doesn't outright recognize me, but I'm still walking a very fine line. Awesome. _Anabelle nodded before Alarice directed her full attention to her guest.

"And who might you be," she asked politely. Her voice, other than obtaining a soft lilt, was just as he remembered it. And that worried him. _Has it really been long enough that I can talk to her without outright lying to her and still not recognize me? I pray to whatever gods there are that I can, because lying to her would be worse than what I have already done to her._

"My name is Devon, milady," he gave a slight bow as he heard her breath catch, "Devon son of none." He rose in time to catch the last of her frown smooth away and regain her composure.

"I am sorry to hear that," she replied with a sad smile, "Although I must admit that, upon hearing your name, I thought that you were the person who I was thinking of, but I realize I was mistaken. He is surely... dead... by now. My apologizes." Devon noticed the hesitation in her voice as she said he was dead, but gave no sign of noticing it. Instead, he returned her sad smile.

A moment passed before she spoke. "So, what is it that brings you here, Devon?"

"I've come to meet back up with my captain. He told me that he had some other business to attend to and that I would be able to find him when I got here." A smile was tugging on the corners of his lips. Her habit of jumping to different topics always entertained him. She could be mad at you one moment and the next be smiling sweetly at you, as if nothing had happened. It's what made Devon like her so much. His sarcastic nature didn't affect his friendship with her, and this led to a very close friendship. But unfortunately, it had to come to an end; if he didn't want his goal to be any harder, then it had to stay that way, no matter how hard he wished.

"Oh yes, I know where the captain is," she said after a thoughtful pause. "If you would like, I could take you to him."

He acted before he thought. "It would be an _honor_ milady," he said with another slight bow. He was awarded with a soft laugh and smile from her. But there was something in her eyes that bothered him.

"Please, call me Alarice. Anabelle," she said turning to the maid, " I'll lead him from here. You may return to whatever duties you were attending to."

"Very well, milady," she said before curtsying to the two of them and leaving. After her departure, Alarice turned and they began heading up the stairs. It was not until a moment later when they had reached the top that she spoke.

"So, were you ever going to tell us?" Her voice was cold, and the pain he heard froze him in his tracks. _There goes that fine line_. She didn't notice his pause and continued on, leaving Devon to catch up.

"I... I don't know." He had thought about it, yes, but every time he did, he could never figure out the right time to tell them.

"You don't know? You don't know?" The pain and anger in her barely controlled voice made Devon physically flinch. The main reason he had not told them he was still alive was because he didn't want them to worry so much about him. If he had let them in on his plan, they would have violently rejected it and demanded that he give up his vengeance. And he just couldn't do that. Not now.

"I'm sorry Ali, but that day, I made a promise to avenge them. I would find those bastards who forced me to... to... I would find them, and make them pay!" Even after all the times he had forced himself to relive that night, it still hurt him so much that he could barely hide his emotions behind a stoic mask. But the pain and anger he felt was clear in his voice, and that was what caused Alarice to turn around and face him. Before he knew it, she had wrapped her arms around him and buried her head in his chest. Her trembling frame told him that she was crying.

"I thought my best friend was dead, and you did nothing to prove me wrong!"

Those words struck him harder than any blow before. And she was right. She was absolutely right. He could have told them, he could have made their last two years so much easier. But his pride had gotten in the way, and because of it, he had hurt her. And that was too much of a price to pay for him. She was after all the only friend he had now. And their friendship meant a lot to him.

He hugged her back, gently stroking her head and murmuring softly, trying to calm her down. To see his best friend in so much pain and sorrow, and to know that it was his fault, was terrible. They stood there in a side hall like that for a couple minutes before her trembling finally stopped and he could hear here breathing had resumed a steady pace. But she didn't pull away from him, and instead just continued to stay where she was when she finally spoke again.

"you may have changed physically, but you are still the same caring Devon I remember. Really, it all just seems too good to be true." He felt more than heard her contented sigh.

"Ouch, and here I hoped I had changed. Last time I talked with you, you called me an immature little kid and walked off in a huff." He teased her, glad that she had finally calmed down.

"And what, might I ask, were you doing before I said that," she asked knowing the answer already.

There was a pause for a moment before he responded with a sigh, "Ok, ok, you win. Jeez, will I ever beat you at least once?" His tone had taken on a hint of hopefulness.

Her response was almost immediate. "Never. You should know this by now."

"A boy can dream can't he? Anyways, I really am sorry for not letting you know that I was okay. If it helps any, know that it hurt me just as much not being able to tell the only person I have a real connection with. I didn't mean to hurt you." Regret was evident in his voice, and he was surprised at just how much she affected him. _She_ is_ my best friend and with how easily she accepted me back, no wonder I can't control myself. Besides, she is the only person I'm really able to open up to, so why would I want to give up that opportunity?_

"I know." And with one last squeeze she broke their embrace, Happiness filling her light blue eyes. "Come on, we don't want to keep the captain waiting any longer now do we?"

For the first time in years, Devon actually smiled. It was an exotic feeling to him after the last couple years, and yet it felt so right to him right then. "Yeah, that probably wouldn't be a very good idea. After you _milady_." And with an exuberant bow that earned him another quick hug, they turned and continued on down the halls to find the captain and Lady Lorana.

And maybe, just maybe, things wouldn't be as hard as Devon thought.

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**AN: Now I have stuff to say. So really, this chapter is just an attempt on my part to give a vague explanation of Devon's past. I say attempt because the interaction with Alarice was rather difficult for me to write, mainly because I don't have any good female friends to base it off of. Also, in the story, Lady Lorana was described as an elderly lady in the cycle. Sadly, that won't work for my story. In _MY_ version, she was around her early thirties in the story, which would make her about fifty or so now. Not sure though if that will play an important part in the story, but I still wanted to explain it anyways. Next up, I'm gonna try and do another Eragon chapter. Leave a review if you liked it or see something I could improve on. Thanks and have a good one.**


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